6 – return-6

In Eleanor’s memory, the Emperor was always warm and caring, solemn and imposing.

However, there were times when even he was angry.

It wasn’t outbursts of rage or swearing, but Eleanor could tell them apart.

When she made a clear mistake, he would focus on solving the situation rather than caring about Eleanor’s feelings.

But except when she was very young, he had never been angry with her.

It wasn’t that she handled things so clumsily as to incur the Emperor’s wrath, and she was able to handle a certain level of mistakes.

“What are you worried about?”

But she couldn’t figure out what she was doing wrong.

“I was thinking about where I made a mistake.”

“It’s all over. The Demon King has been subjugated according to His Majesty’s will. I’ve solidified my position, and I’ve succeeded in building relationships with people who will help me.”

The ties he built with the great warriors of the World Tree will be of great strength to his relationship with the elves.

Compared to the Empire, it is an infinitely small country, but their potential cannot be ignored.

He is a living legend of the magical world and has overcome adversity with the owner of the Mage Tower. Witches will no longer cast spells that harm the Empire.

Since he had built a close relationship with the saintess, even the priests couldn’t treat Eleanor carelessly. As long as a few churches aren’t destroyed and the clergy aren’t slaughtered, her coronation will go ahead with God’s blessings.

Already, the support of knights and soldiers was overflowing. She had been training with them, fighting together, eating the same food and sleeping in the same place since she was young.

“I will be the next emperor.”

It was a place prepared for her. Eleanor worked hard and struggled to become the right person for the position.

As long as she has the strength of a hero, no one can doubt her legitimacy.

“Isn’t one missing?”

The porter’s face passed through Eleanor’s mind. She hardened her expression slightly.

“…I tried.”

“what?”

“I forcibly trained him to keep him from dying. Had I left him unattended, he would have died during the adventure.”

It could have been a rather harsh training for someone who couldn’t use mana, but she endured the training with the body of a weaker woman when she was younger.

“At least, you had people to support you. Did you think that person could stand it?”

“I’m an adult. If you can’t support yourself, you’re just proving your incompetence.”

The emperor sighed deeply. He sighed deeply, like someone who couldn’t even imagine how to deal with this difficulty.

“What are you afraid of? He has already handed over the power of a champion to me. The responsibility, the trials, and the glory are all mine.”

“Do you think that only those who have that power are responsible?”

“The one who obtained the warrior’s sword is me, the leader of the Platinum Knights. The one who passed the ordeal was not the porter, but your daughter-in-law.”

It was terrifying to be in front of the emperor and not understand his feelings. All other commoners and nobles do, and his daughter, Eleanor, is no different.

“The one who won the battle against the demons and defeated the demon king is no one else! I am the next emperor!”

Instead of responding right away, the emperor chose his words carefully and remained silent.

And he looked at Eleanor not with the eyes of his own knight, but with the eyes of his daughter.

“It will take time… But, I don’t know. It might make things worse, or hurt us all even more… But, I don’t want to give up hope just yet.”

Eleanor did not want to react to the Emperor’s words either. I just bowed my head and showed my respect.

“Do you have someone in mind?”

“I’m not weak enough to be swayed by mere chivalry. I don’t care whoever the Empire needs and His Majesty wants. I just follow orders.”

It wasn’t just her job. Imperials and nobles, especially women, are great resources to use in an alliance.

As the only daughter of the current emperor and the next emperor, she could choose a marriage partner if she wanted to, but in the end, it would be like using the nation’s power to serve her own desires.

“Really… as much as you, I wanted to be able to connect with the person I want…”

The Emperor’s sorrowful emotions mixed with the collapsed laughter, filling the room.

“Leodrin Enerel. This is the man you should marry. Tie him up somehow, and make him and your child the heirs of the Empire.”

“Leodrin? Was there a male in that family?”

“He’s the man you traveled with. He’ll soon officially become a member of the family.”

A family in which Lady Leodrin has no right to inherit the family line, and only one daughter is a legitimate member of the family.

It was a family that was shabby compared to the value of the name of the family, but the fact that it was a prestigious family did not change.

It would not be possible to solidify legitimacy by mixing blood with royalty from other kingdoms.

However, mixing blood with a noble family within the empire or a royal family from another country is a risky business.

If, by any chance, they take it lightly on the fact that Eleanor is a woman and try to get involved in imperial politics, they will have to resort to stopping him again.

It was not necessarily a bad thing to marry an aristocrat whose power was weak and obedient, but whose name value was high.

Considering that aspect, the porter was not a threatening opponent. If the man of ‘Leodrin’ was such a man, this marriage was not a bad choice.

If only that identity was real.

“It’s dangerous. Giving fake identities to guests staying at the imperial palace is different from giving false identities to someone who will become the emperor’s consort.”

There are an infinite number of people who want to dig up the emperor’s scandal. If one of them digs out the porter’s background and threatens the imperial family, there is no good way to respond.

“Can not help it. If you love someone, tell them now. If you’re pursuing the future of the Empire instead, trust my judgment.”

The emperor stubbornly stopped her.

“Okay. When should we set the date?”

Eleanor obeyed the Emperor’s command without a shadow of a doubt. But instead of being happy, he shook his head.

“No, you’re wrong. There’s something you need to do first.”

“What is?”

“You have to ask for the other person’s consent.”

For a moment, Eleanor couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious.

“I am the next Emperor. He will not refuse.”

“Is that so? I thought he would never want to.”

“Even so, nothing changes. The sacrifice he made for me and the empire is of course noble. However, it cannot exceed the national interests of the empire.”

Eleanor spoke so confidently that she didn’t notice that every word he said grieved her father.

“That’s not allowed.”

“Why the hell!”

“It’s just… that’s something you shouldn’t be doing. Aren’t you satisfied with this answer?”

“At least explain the reason clearly.”

The emperor quietly averted his gaze.

“I’m still afraid. I know better than anyone what kind of person you become when you lose confidence.”

“I’ll never see you look so ugly again.”

Eleanor, who was a young girl who knew nothing, was different from Eleanor, who had achieved numerous achievements and believed in herself.

The emperor was just looking at her.

/////

“Heheh, uhhh… what the hell… what the hell!”

Nerwen has completed her mission.

Now is the time to escape from this disgusting and noisy city, breathe the fresh air of the World Tree, and write a poem about her achievements.

“Why… why? What happened…”

However, she was still staying in the imperial palace.

There was no place in the city where she wanted to stay, so she temporarily settled in the royal hunting grounds, and tried to figure out what was wrong with her body.

Elves are sensitive to smells. They are more sensitive than anyone else and can smell even the slightest odors that others cannot smell.

It wasn’t just an area confined to the sense of smell. Just as a priest feels divine guidance, an elf can read the screams and cheers of the forest.

Although in a subtle way, blessed elves like Nerwen can smell even human hearts.

A clean and clear person smells clean and serene, and a person who is dull and dizzy smells disgusting.

“What the hell have you done to me? If you don’t grab that despicable bastard and tear him limb from limb…”

When I first saw him, I wondered if this was really the smell of evil. Because I’ve never smelled anything like this before.

It was a strong smell. I had never smelled anything like it when I saw slave traders, murderers, or kinslayers.

I tried to endure it somehow, but every time I smelled it, my head felt dizzy, my hand holding the bowstring trembled, and my body felt hot.

Hold on and hold on, she finally let her anger out. During the battle, it was a day when the arrow missed very slightly.

-Human, do you know that your smell is very bad? wash it right now.

It was the smell of the soul, so no matter how much he washed himself, the smell wouldn’t go away.

However, the smell of the river on his body seemed to neutralize his smell a little, so Nerwen forced him to wash up again and again.

“why why why…”

But all the while, she was exposed to his scent, whether she liked it or not.

So, I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like if I didn’t feel the smell.